Thank Tian I didn’t break my promise because I spend the next three games having my pigu handed to me. It’s absolutely humiliating.
Gigi refuses to join us, choosing to file her nails instead. ‘You should bring out your pipa, darling. I haven’t heard you play in a while.’
‘Of course, Petal,’ Ah Lang says, and he throws down a royal flush.
‘Pass,’ I say, having nothing to beat his hand, resigning myself to another loss. ‘I was impressed by your duet with Lord Aengus.’ I suddenly remember something. ‘Oh no!’
‘What’s wrong?’ Gigi immediately puts her file down, all attention on me.
‘I never said goodbye to Lord Aengus. Did he return right away to Inis Fáil?’ I ask.
‘No idea,’ Ah Lang says, eye twitching.
‘Is there something in your eye?’ I ask, though my instincts tell me he’s hiding something.
Gigi tilts her head, fixing him with her gaze. It’s enough to make Ah Lang break out in a sweat. He looks up, then down, blinking rapidly.
‘Qian Lang.’ Gigi breaks out his full name. She’s not messing around.
I offer Ah Lang a sympathetic grimace.
He immediately drops to his knees. ‘Petal, lift high your noble hand. I promised Lord Aengus to keep his secret. I don’t want to break my word to a friend.’
Gigi leans forward and kisses Ah Lang on the nose. ‘If I guess his secret, you won’t be breaking your word, right?’
Ah Lang makes a pained face. ‘But I would still be telling.’
‘Don’t say a word then,’ Gigi says. ‘Just listen.’
Ah Lang looks at her with sad puppy dog eyes, but then he drops his head in defeat. ‘Yes, Petal.’ He returns to his chair.
‘Lord Aengus is not in Paris,’ she begins in a sing-song voice. ‘Lord Aengus was supposed to go home.’ She glances at Ah Lang, whose expression remains placid. Gigi cocks her head, grinning mischievously. ‘But Lord Aengus didn’t go home.’
At this, both Ah Lang’s eyes twitch. Gigi’s smile grows wider, takes on that glint, the one she gets when she smells a win. Tapping her chin, Gigi pretends to be puzzled.
As if she’s only just thought of it, she says, ‘Oh! I noticed you brought extra blankets and pillows to your room.’ She ducks her head, pretending to be shy. ‘Is it because you missed me, and wanted something to cuddle?’
Ah Lang blinks furiously.
‘After breakfast, I also noticed you brought an extra portion of bao buns to your room, the ones that are Lord Aengus’s favourite,’ Gigi coos sweetly.
A bead of sweat rolls down Ah Lang’s temple. Gigi is such a cruel mistress; I decide to put Ah Lang out of his misery.
‘So Lord Aengus is a stowaway rooming with Ah Lang and Tony, eh?’ I stifle a giggle at Ah Lang’s panicked expression.
‘Waaah,’ Gigi says, faux-scandalised. ‘Lord Aengus has run away to the Middle Kingdom and has to hide from the Durands so they don’t tell the Dagda?’
Sweat drips from Ah Lang and his eyes twitch and blink like he’s rubbed them both with bird’s eye chillis.
Gigi tsks. ‘Father will be most unhappy if he finds out Lord Aengus snuck in without permission from the Ministry of Rites.’
Squeezing his eyes shut, Ah Lang blurts, ‘The Minister of Rites knows. I sent him a message before we left.’
‘Relax, darling. I guessed as soon as you suggested we swap rooms.’
Ah Lang stares at her for a moment before his expression turns gooey. ‘Petal, I love that you’re so clever.’
Clearing my throat, I say, ‘Where is he now?’
